Date: Thu, 15 Sep 2011 22:15:17 -0400
Subject: [WSFA] Re: Forward!  Into the past!!
From: whitroth at 5-cent.us
To: "WSFA members" <WSFAlist at KeithLynch.net>
Cc: "WSFA Official List" <wsfa-forum at yahoogroups.com>
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at KeithLynch.net>

Mike B. wrote:
> NASA has unveiled the plans for the next big booster.  Uses recycled
> shuttle parts, combined with Apollo-like designs for the main booster,
> to launch loads slightly larger than the shuttle could loft...and,
> maybe, eventually, up to twice as much per launch.  Crew capsule is
> about like Apollo in appearance.  They talk about "deep space missions",
> but *I* wouldn't want to be stuck in something that small for very long.
>
> Oh, and they won't be able to launch anything for another 5+ years, and
> it's going to cost $10 billion for the first launch.  Can you say,
> "WTF???"
>
That's for the entire engineering and tooling effort.

      mark